The present invention is directed to bicycle control devices and, more particularly, to n bicycle device which includes a break-away attachment for a connecting cable.
Many bicycle components operate by pulling a cable connected to some other element. For example, many bicycle shift control devices have indicators associated with them to indicate the currently selected gear of the bicycle transmission. Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/238,529 discloses an indicator unit for a bicycle shift control device wherein the currently selected speed stage for both front and rear bicycle transmissions may be ascertained from a centralized location and without having to directly read numbers. More specifically, an indicator unit is provided for engaging a first control cable connected to a first bicycle shift control device and for engaging a second control cable connected to a second bicycle shift control device. The indicator unit includes a housing; a handlebar attachment member for attaching the housing to a handlebar; a first intermediate member; a first coupling member coupled to the first intermediate member for coupling the first intermediate member for movement with the first control cable; and a separate first indicating member viewable from outside the housing, wherein the first indicating member engages the first intermediate member so that movement of the first intermediate member causes movement of the first indicating member. The indicator unit also includes a second intermediate member; a second coupling member coupled to the second intermediate member for coupling the second intermediate member for movement with the second control cable; and a separate second indicating member viewable from outside the housing, wherein the second indicating member engages the second intermediate member so that movement of the second intermediate member along the guide surface causes movement of the second indicating member.
Each first and second intermediate member includes a cable terminating structure with a cable slot formed therein for retaining a cable end protuberance attached to the end of its associated control cable. Thus, pulling the control cable causes a pulling force on the cable terminating structure which, in turn, moves the intermediate member. To reduce the overall size of the indicator unit, it is desirable to make the components as small as possible. This is especially true for the first and second intermediate members. However, a decrease in the size of the intermediate member involves a corresponding decrease in size of the cable terminating structure. This, in turn, causes a decrease in strength of the cable terminating structure. Thus, if a strong pulling force is applied to the control cable, there is a risk that the cable terminating structure will become damaged. Thus, it is desirable to make a cable terminating structure which can accommodate strong control cable pulling forces. This is true not only for a bicycle indicating unit described above, but also for other bicycle devices such as shift levers, suspension adjusting levers, and so on.
The present invention is directed to a bicycle device wherein a member used to receive a pulling force of a control cable has a cable terminating structure that accommodates strong pulling forces applied by the control cable. In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for coupling to a control cable having a cable end protuberance attached thereto includes a member having a cable terminating structure. The cable terminating structure includes a first wall defining a first detenting structure for receiving the cable end protuberance and a second wall spaced apart from the first wall. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes a resilient portion for deflecting in response to a pulling force applied to the cable terminating structure by the cable end protuberance so as to release the cable end protuberance from the cable terminating structure.
In a more specific embodiment, the first wall includes a first detenting recess in the form of a first detenting opening extending entirely through the first wall for forming the first detenting structure. Additionally, the first wall includes a slot extending from the first detenting opening through a side edge of the first wall. This facilitates assembly of the control cable to the cable terminating structure because, if the first detenting opening is made large enough, the cable end protuberance and control cable can be passed through the first detenting opening and slot, respectively, until the control cable is sandwiched between the first and second walls. To further increase the detenting effect, the second wall may include a second detenting recess for forming the second detenting structure. If the cable end protuberance has a spherical shape, then the cable end protuberance may be disconnected easily from the cable terminating structure in the event of excessive pulling forces applied to the control cable.